Oil well pump



Oct. 10, 1933. G. H. ROBERTS OIL WELL PUMP Filed July 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l GA H. ROBERTS oIL WELL PUMP Oct. l0, 1933.

Filed July l, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 110, 1933 [UNITE-D STATES PATENT oFFlcs oIL WELL PUMP I George H. Roberts, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner of one-half to A. E. Schulze, Los Angeles,

Calif.

Application July 1, 1931. yserial' No.` 548,123.,

5 Claims. (Cl. 10S- 204) lll ings generally used between theV piston and cylinder-'and at the same time providing means for increasing the `pressure of the oil within the cylinderV as the piston approaches the upper end of2 its stroke and further, to provide simple and 135 efficient means for automatically cleaning the seats of the travelling valves andmaintaining the same free from accumulations of sand, mud, graveland the like.

A further object of my invention is, to provide '2f0` simplel and efcient means rfor heating the oil' that enters the pump cylinder'so as to materiallyr increase the fluidity of said oil so that it will fiow more'readily through the pump and upwardly through the pump tube.

`With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features Y of `construction andV arrangementof parts that will Vhereinafter vbe more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingY l drawings in which: v

Fig;v 1 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the center of a. pump constructed in accordance with my invention and 'showing' the' same in position in a well. Y Fig. `2 is a vertical section ytaken lengthwise through the upper portion of the vpump cylinder and showing the standing valves therein.` Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 ofrFig. 2.

Fig. ll-is avertical section takenlengthwise through the central portion of .the pump cylinder and showing the piston positioned therein. Fig. 5 vis an enlarged vertical section taken through the lower portion of'the pump piston and showing the lower one of the traveling Valves. Fig. 6`is a Vertical section taken lengthwise through the lower portion of the pump cylinder and showing .the oil Vheating means that'is positioned below the strainer that is connected to the lower end of the pump cylinder.

Fig. `7 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Y w

Fig. 8is an enlarged cross section. taken on the line 8.8of Fig.l 6.` i

'Referring by numerals tothe accompanyingv drawings which illustrate a practical s embodiment of my invention,Y lfdesignates the pump cylinder that has its upper end connected byk a suitable tubular coupling l1 to the lower endof p the string of tubing 12 that carries the oil to 00j. the top of the well. o

' Removably located within the lower portion of couplingmember 11 directlyabove theupper` end' of cylinder 10, is a blockk 13 in thejcenter ,of which is formed an axial opening 14 that serves 65' as 'a bearing for the piston rod 15 and formed through said block 13 vto the sides of said central 'the pump or sucker rod 20 and which latter extends upwardly through the tubing 12.

Detachably secured'to the lower end of 'cylinder .10 is a standing valve housing 21, withinl which isV formed a plurality of seats 22 Vfor standing 80 valves 23, preferably of the spherical typev and arranged within the housing 21 a short distance above each valve 23 is a cage 24. f Y

Arranged immediately beneath each standing valve '23 `and its seatv is an automatically acting 85 seat cleaning member 25, the lconstruction of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Detachably secured to the lower end of the Valve housing21is the upper end of a strainer tube 26a of conventional structure and secured to the lower 90' end of this strainer tube is a block 26, through which passesthe open upper end of a depending oil circulation tube 27. y Formed in block 26 tothe side of tube 27 is a pairof separated chambers-28 and 29 and com- 95* municating with chamber 28 is the lower end ofka steam supplyy pipe 20y that extends downwardly through the well from the top thereof. y Y Securedto the underside of block 26 is the .upper end of a depending tube32that encloses tube 100 27 and secured to the lower end of this tube V32-is a slotted or perforated strainer cap 33. l l

A plug 34'is seated in the lower end of tube 32 and the lower end of the tube 27 extends through this plug 34 and communicates withthe 105 communicates with chamber 28. 110

The open lower end of tube terminates at a point just above the plug 34 that closes the lower end of tube 32.

Seated in the lower portion of the. wall of tube 32 just above the upper end of the cap 33 is a pressure outlet valve 36.

The inner portion of chamber 29 has communication with the upper end of thechamber in tube 32 by means of port 37 and seated in block 26 is the lower end of a steam circulation pipe 33 that exf tends to the top of the well.

Arranged forV reciprocatory movement within the cylinder 10 is a tubular piston 39 and a'suitable coupling member provided with openings 41 connects the upper end of this piston to Vthe lower end of the piston rod 15.

The external diameter of the piston 39 is substantially less than the internal diameter of the cylinder 10, thereby forming an elongated annu'Y lar oil crculation chamber 42 between the piston and cylinder. f

Secured inV any suitable manner to the inner face vof cylinder 10 and spaced suitable distances ver ical ereo are col, ars o t e t lick- A apart t 1ly th f, ll 4", Llo l` v or perforatons 46 inthe sleevesI 44.

ness of which' is approximately half the width of annular space 42 and depending from the inner portion of each collar 43'is a short sleeve 44 that is approximately half Vthe thickness of the collar 43, thereby providing a 'narrow oil circulation space 45A between said sleeve andthe wall of cylinder 10. v

Formed through the wall of each sleeve are slots or perforations 46 which are inclined so that they project upwardly and inwardly from the outer '35 surfaces-ofthe sleeves. l

Secured to piston 39 and arranged on the exterior thereof are collars 47, the thickness or which is approximately the same as the thickness of .the collars 43 and depending from the outer portion of the lower edge of each collar 47 is a` sleeve 48 that is approximately half the thickness of the collar 47, thereby providing a narrow circulation chamber 49 between each sleeve 48 and the wall of piston 39.

- Each sleeve 48 is provided with perforations or slots 48a that are inclinedl so that they extend upwardly and outwardly and which arrangement is just the reverse of the inclination of the slots The external diameters of the collars 47 and sleeves 48 is slightly less then the internal'diameters of the collars 43 and 44 and thus as the piston 39 reciprocates within the cylinder the collars 47 and sleeves 48 move past the collars Y43 and sleeves 44 and therel is very little clearance beouteredgevupwardly and inwardly and the lower end of sleeve 48 is bevelled from its inner edge in wardly and outwardly. The lower end of the wall of the piston39` is bevelled from its outer edge up-I wardly and inwardly. y n Y Removably seated in the lower portion of piston 39 is a ring lblock 50 provided in its upper portion with a seat 5l for a travelling valve 52 and whichl latter is preferably in the form of a sphere.

Arranged within the piston 39 .immediately above block 50 is a cage 53 that limits the upward ltubular body 54 Vis enlarged in diameter and this enlarged lower end normally rests on lugs 55 that project inwardly from the lower portion of a bushing 56 that is removably seated in the lower end of a piston 39 directly below ring 50. j

The enlarged lower portion of the tubular body 54 is provided with a circumferential inclined face 57, that is adapted to engage against the'inclined under faces of stop lugs 59, which latter project downwardly from the lower portion of ring 50 around the opening therethrough.

The upper end of the wall of tubular member 54 is bevelled so as to provide a sharp edge 60 which when the tubular body 54 and valve 52 are at their lower limits of movement, occupies a position just below and immediately adjacent to the seat 5l for; said valve 52. I l

`Formed on the interior of tubular member 54 just below the bevelled upper edge thereof kis ay downwardly and inwardlyy projecting @inclined flange 61 and formed Ythrough the wall Vof said member 54 directly beneath this flange isa r'plurality of apertures 62.

A travelling valve 63 normally closes4 the port portionof the piston 39V and disposed above said valve is a cage 65 and arranged for reciprocatory movement `through the port inthe ring 64l is a tubular valve seat cleaning member 66. .A Y

The parts 63,64, 65 and 66-arer identical inf construction and operation with the parts 52, ,50, 53 and 54 heretofore described and likewise the parts 23, 24and 25 that occupy the valve-housing 21 are identical in construction andoperation with said parts 52, 53 and 54. 'f

During operation of my improved pump piston 39 is reciprocated within the cylinder or barrel 10 and the oil that is elevated by the pump passes through the strainer 26 and as the standing valves 23'are drawn upwardlyduring thesuction or upward stroke of the puinppiston this oil enters pump cylinder 10..- VA certain amount'of oil enters strainer 33 and passes Vupwardly through tube 27 into the lower portion-oi the strainer 261 and if during pumping operations, relatively heavy oil is encountered or oil that will not flow readily, such oil may be softenedbythe heat of steam that is forced downwardly through tube 30 and which steam after passing through cham. ber 23 passes downwardly through tube 35 and discharges into the lower portion ofthe chamber within tube 32 and after circulating upwardly through this chamber around oil circulation tube 27 this steam passes through port 37 and the chamber 29 and from thence saidY steam exhausts through a ring 64 that is located within the upper upwardly through pipe 38.,.This circulation of standing valves `13 and 23 rest upon theirrespec-V `tive seats while the traveling valves 52 and 63 are lifted fromtheir seats by the upwardpressure of the oil beneath said valves so that they move Vupward against their retaining cages and simultaneously the valve seat cleaning members 5431141 66 are moved upwardly'until the inclined 60 of the tubular bodies 54 of the valve cleaning members moveipast the seats for the traveling valves, thereby cutting away any accumulations of sand, mud or the like which would otherwise prevent the traveling valves from properly seating on the succeeding upward stroke of the piston.

When the shoulder '7 engages the stop lugs 59, the openings 62 are positioned directly opposite the valve seats 5l and the pressure of the oil ilow upwardly through openings 62 is effective in carrying off any accumulations that may have lodged on the valve seats during the previous upward movement of the piston.

Thus the valve cleaning members 54, 66 and 25v functionto automatically clean the seats for the valves that are positioned directly above said cleaning members.

As the pump piston moves downwardly oil will flow upwardly past the lower traveling valve 52 and simultaneously oil will flow upwardly past the upper traveling valve 63 and the oil will clischarge through openings 41 into the chamber within the cylinder or barrel 1i).

During the downward movement of the' piston, oil that enters the annular chambers 49 be- Y tween the sleeves 48 and the piston will dis- "f cleaning members 54 and 66 will return to their lowermost positions and as the piston moves upwardly standing valves 23 will be lifted from their seats to permit Aoil to flow from the strainer 26 upwardlyinto the cylinderrorbarrel 10 and simultaneously the standing valves 18 will be lifted from their seats by the oil that is forced upwardly through the barrel by the upwardly moving piston.

During this upward travel of the piston Vthe shoulders formed by upper ends of the collars 4'7 will exert upward pressure on the oil within those portions of the chamber 42 that are immediately above said shoulders and below the immediately adjacent collar 43 and perforated sleeve 44 and such action materially increases the pressure upon the oil in the upper portion of the barrel. This pressure increases proportionately as the Ypiston approaches the upper end of its stroke owing to the displacement produced by the upwardly movingv piston within the chamber 42 and as a result the oil under high pressure in the upper portion of the barrelwill ilow past the v standing valves 18 and enter the pump tube 12 which leads to the top of the well.

During the upward movement of the piston, it will be understood that the upper ends of the collars 47 function as pistons to travel through those portions of the chamber' 42 that are immediately below the fixed collars 43 and their depending perforated sleeves 44 and that the 'oil forced into the annular chambers behind the sleeves 44 is restricted from escaping therefrom through the apertures 46, thereby developing increased resistance as the piston approaches the upper portion of the pump barrel.

During the upward stroke of the piston a certain amount of oil will flow downwardly through the inclined openings in the sleeves 48 and a certain amount of oil under pressure within the annular chambers 45 will ilow upwardly through the inclined openings 46 in the sleeves 44 and such action provides a iiuid packing between the piston and the pump barrel and consequently eliminates the usey of the conventional pump packings and which latter it will be understood wear very rapidly as a result of the action of sand and sediment contained'in the oil. f

yThe standing valves 23 in the valve housing 21 will be drawn upwardly off their seats as the piston moves upwardly within its cylinder, thereby permitting oil to be drawn by suction past said valves 23 into the cylinder 10 and as this oil flows through the openings in the members 25 the seats 22 for said valves will be automatically cleaned. At the beginning of the downward strokel of the piston valves 23 will return to their seats and tubular members 25 will move downward until they engage their respective supports.

Pressure outlet valve 36 is of the type that automatically opens under a predetermined dethat said pressure exceeds the predetermined del gree.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a reciprocating pump particularly designed for the pumping of oil from oil wells, which pump is constructed so that the requirement for the con-- ventional packings between the piston and pump cylinder or barrel is eliminated and said pump the size, form and construction of the various 1 parts of my improved oil well pump may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a pump, a cylinder, a piston arranged for operation within said cylinder, a plurality of sleeves secured to said cylinder on the interior thereof, portions of which sleeves are spaced apart from the walls of the cylinder, a piston arranged Y for operationA within said cylinder, sleeves secured to the exterior of said piston and portions of which sleeves are spaced apart from the wall of said piston with the sleeves of both sets provided with inclined openings.

2. In a pump, a cylinder, a piston arranged for operation within said cylinder, a plurality of sleeves secured to said cylinder on the linterior thereof, portions of which sleeves are spaced apart from the walls of the cylinder, a piston arranged for operation within said cylinder, sleeves secured to the exterior of said piston and ,portions of movement Within the cylinder, collars secured on `the periphery of said piston and sleeves depending fromY the collars onsaid piston, Which last mentioned sleeves are spaced apart from the surjf 5 face of the piston.

4. A pump as set forth in claim 3 and the members of both sets of sleeves provided with inclined openings. 

